In the '558 and '459 applications, different protective devices to be used with a hypodermic needle are disclosed. As enunciated therein, protective devices for preventing a user, or for that matter a bystander, from being accidently pricked by the sharp end of an exposed needle are urgently needed, particularly in view of the current epidemic of infectious diseases resulting from sharing of, and possibly accidentally pricking by, contaminated needles.
In the case where a double-ended needle assembly is used with a fluid collection system, for example an evacuated blood collection tube, the risk of a user, i.e. a phlebotomist, of accidentally puncturing himself with a contaminated needle is magnified, inasmuch as, ordinarily, the user has to recap the used double-ended needle assembly before removing it from the container holder, which holds the evacuated blood collection tube. Thus, the user has to, in a two-handed operation, first carefully align a protective sheath with the exposed contaminated needle before he is able to cover the latter with the former. As should readily be apparent, if the user is in a hurry, or is distracted as for example in emergency room situations, there is a good chance that he may miss aligning the sheath with the exposed needle and be accidentally pricked thereby, and therefore exposed to the risk of contracting blood-borne infectious diseases.
The double-ended needle assembly oftentimes is removed from the container holder, which is reusable. According to workers skilled in this area of the medical field, some of the reasons given for reusing a container holder include: (1) the extra cost of using a new container holder for each patient; (2) the desire not to clutter up the environment with extra trash; and (3) it is easier for a phlebotomist to carry and use one container holder for all patients, instead of having to carry many container holders and using a new one for each patient.